Gateway Trackpad Problems

by Jessica Kolifrath, Demand Media

Gateway trackpads are susceptible to a number of problems.

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The track pad, also known as a touch pad, on a laptop or notebook computer functions as a built-in pointing device. When the touch pad on your Gateway notebook computer begins to malfunction, there are a few things you can try before taking it to the repair shop.

Touch pad Not Detected

Anything that causes the drivers for the track pad to become uninstalled will stop the device from working properly. One common cause is a new installation of the operating system. When using a system recovery disk, some laptop models will not automatically install the track-pad drivers, warns Gateway. Manual installation is needed at that point. Drivers occasionally become corrupt through registry errors or viruses, so start any track-pad troubleshooting process with a fresh installation.

Locking Up

Using certain types of PCMIA cards will cause a conflict in resources that results in the track pad locking up on certain Gateway notebooks, according to the Gateway support site. Cards from Verizon and Sprint are the most common cause, according to Gateway, but a few others cause the reaction as well. If your notebook is in the M275 series, updating the BIOS file to version 48.04.01 or later will fix the problem. If you are not using a PCMIA card and experience this problem, the device may be broken and may require replacement.

Automatically Re-enabled

Many people disable their track pads on Gateway laptops because they prefer to use an external mouse. Disabling the track pad ensures that it doesn't accidentally move the cursor while you are typing. If your computer is running Windows XP, Gateway states that downloading and installing Service Pack 2 from Microsoft will automatically enable the track pad again on some models. Disabling it after this update will keep it from turning back on unexpectedly and requires no special tools.

Erratic Movement

Depending on certain settings, the cursor may shoot across the screen unexpectedly while you are typing. Random scrolling and other erratic behavior related to the touch pad is easily fixed on a Gateway laptop. A simple sensitivity setting is the cause of this problem. Opening the Control Panel and clicking on the mouse icon will allow you to turn down the sensitivity and gain greater control over the touch pad, according to Microsoft. If this doesn't work there is some kind of damage within the device itself.

About the Author

Jessica Kolifrath is a competent copywriter who has been writing professionally since 2008. She is based in the Atlanta area but travels around the Southeastern United States regularly. She currently holds an associate degree in psychology and is pursuing a bachelor's degree in the field.

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